


When Your Feet Don't Touch the Ground

by LittleDelanceyDoll



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Where Gabriel Reyes has a wife and son prior to the explosion in switzerland, but there are flashbacks to the beginning of overwatch, takes place shortly after the events of Recall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-04
Updated: 2017-11-04
Packaged: 2019-01-29 13:52:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12632391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleDelanceyDoll/pseuds/LittleDelanceyDoll
Summary: Almost eight years ago, Audrey Reyes née Owston's life fell apart in an instant with the death of her husband, along with the people she had known for decades. Now, widowed and a single mother, she has fought to rebuild her life as a UN Representative and peacekeeper between the omnics and humans. However, with the change affecting everyone who once became involved with Overwatch, she is brought into a web of lies and falsehoods that will change the very basis of her beliefs.





	When Your Feet Don't Touch the Ground

            The call came two minutes before Audrey Reyes could wash the conditioner out of her hair. She'd been in Brazil for the last week, and Quebec the week before, so the shower was the first time in what felt like months she had time to relax. The whole damn world had been tearing her away from London for what felt like years, and she didn't want to give up her moment just yet.

            The ringing finally stopped moments later, giving her just enough time to apply the shaving cream to her legs before it began again. She could feel her stomach drop passed her ankles, the air forced out of her lungs as she listened to the ringing of her cellphone from the bathroom counter three feet away. There was not a single person with her personal phone in their contacts that would call more than once in a row without an emergency, she knew that. Hell, even Gabe had always been the one to send her a message between missions instead of calling her. She had to answer it this time— she had to know.

            “Hello, this is Audrey Reyes speaking.” She said, trying to hide the tremble in her voice. First Amélie and Gérard, then Ana’s death only months ago— who else could they bear to lose? Her heart ached as she went through the names: Jesse had left shortly after news of Ana’s death, but Genji was still active despite his obvious unhappiness in Overwatch; Lena, no matter how fast she was, couldn't live forever no matter how much tech Winston created for her; and Winston, no matter how amazing he was, he was an outlier that would one day run out of luck.

            “Audrey— I didn't think you'd actually pick up with all of this… I'm so sorry, love.”

            It took her a moment to identify the voice, heart pounding as she tried to decipher what was going on. It was her old roommate from college, she recognized that much, but nothing else was clear. “Liz, what's going on?” She asked, still feeling dizzy and closed in.

            “Don't tell me that you don't know yet, please don't tell me that no one’s called you.” Liz replied, sending a bolt of fear down her spine. “Haven't you been watching the news?”

            Audrey didn't know when she decided to run into the living room, her hands shaking as she turned on her TV, Liz still apologizing from the other end of the line. All she could do was stand there in shock, the very color draining from her face as she stared at the smoldering remains that once held her husband’s office.

            “He might not have been in there, Dree.” Her friend said, trying her best to be calming. “You've said so yourself, he's always running from one place to the next when he's out of town.”

            “I have to go, Liz.” She replied numbly, her chest tightening as she stared in horror at the TV screen.

            “Just calm down for a moment—”

            “I have to go, I need to call him, I need to know for sure!”

            “The whole bloody place is in shambles, Dree, getting a signal would be imp—”

            Audrey hung up before her friend could keep trying to calm her down, tears rushing down her face as she called her husband’s work phone. “Please, Gabe, don't do this to me…” she whispered, pacing as it rang. In all of her worst thoughts, Gabe being the one who was killed had never been a possibility.

            “This is Commander Gabriel Reyes.  I am not able to come to the phone right now, but leave a message and—”

            “Dammit, just fucking pick up the phone!” Audrey shouted, hanging up before dialing his personal phone. Not him, not her soldier, her _husband_. He always came home to her and Damién, no matter what, and that couldn't change now. He would never let it happen.

            “You've managed to reach the inbox of Gabriel Reyes, lucky you. I'm a bit busy right now— maybe with the wife, maybe with the kid, and maybe with both— so I'll call back when I can.”

            She didn't even know what to do at that moment. All she could think of was calling Jack, the one person in the world that would be able to know what was happening. He always had all of his phones on him, even when Gabriel managed to forget his… he'd know. He **_had_** to know.

            “Strike Commander Jack Morrison here. I'm unable to take your call, so if you'd leave a message—”

            Audrey dropped the phone, the full weight of what was going on punching her in the chest. Jack was the _Strike Commander_ of Overwatch, and if he was anywhere during the attack, he'd have been in his office; no doubt, his desk was right where the crumbled remains of a satellite now stood. She could barely think straight, her heart in her throat as she collapsed against the door to her apartment, staring at the images of Switzerland as tears streamed down her face. She didn't want to keep thinking about who could be dead, but names and faces kept popping up in her head as the full reality sank in.

            The phone finally rang once more, and she numbly answered it, sitting on the floor in her bathrobe as the reporter babbled on about what they knew so far. “Hello?” She asked weakly, voice hollow.

            “Audrey, I know you watch the news every morning— Reinhardt is already heading over to make sure you are safe.”

            “I need you to tell him to meet me at Saint Mary’s Hospital, Doctor Ziegler.” She replied, her grip tightening on the phone. “I think I'm going into labor.”

            “Saint Mary’s— what is wrong?” She asked quickly, her doctor’s voice taking over. “I need you tell me exactly what you are feeling right now, because you are only twenty-three weeks along at the most.”

            “I can't get you a full assessment, but I'll make sure to tell them to send my charts to you.” She replied, staring down at her reflection in the phone screen. “I have to call an ambulance, okay? This… I'm not supposed to be bleeding.”

            She didn't wait to hear Angela’s response, instead dialing three nines as she clutched one hand to her stomach.

_This has to be a nightmare, it_ **has** _to be._

            “Hello, my name is Audrey Reyes—I think I’m having a miscarriage. Yes, I am pregnant—I live on Two Penny Brookes Street, East London, on the fifth floor. I-I’m by the door right now, but my husband isn’t here and my son—I’m alone, but my neighbors should be able to answer their phone. Thank you, yes, I’ll be here when the ambulance gets here. Yes, I can stay on the phone, thank you.”


End file.
